Isma rejects misinformation around E20, urges 'evidence-based' discussion

The Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (Isma) on Wednesday said the claims around E20 petrol causing vehicle damage, attracting insects, invalidating insurance, or involving direct mixing of sugarcane juice with petrol are "misleading" and "factually incorrect".

 

The association, which represents sugar and bio-energy producers in India, urged that the ongoing public conversation around ethanol-blended petrol be guided by scientific evidence, verified data and official clarifications, rather than misinformation being circulated on social media.

 

Isma’s appeal comes days after the government released a fact sheet rebutting social media “misinformation” about India’s E20 ethanol blending programme, in which petrol contains up to 20 per cent ethanol, dismissing claims of excessive water use, engine damage, insurance invalidation and environmental harm.

   

The association said that automobile manufacturers, oil companies, SIAM, FIPI, OMCs and ARAI have publicly defended E20, adding that concerns around vehicle breakdown are based on “hearsay, misinformation and misunderstanding".

 

Isma Director General Deepak Ballani said, “India’s ethanol programme is one of the country’s most successful examples of aligning energy security, farmer welfare and cleaner mobility. It is therefore important that public debate is anchored in facts and not fear.”

 

“E20 has been introduced through a calibrated, science-backed process involving government, oil marketing companies, automobile manufacturers, and testing agencies. Claims suggesting that ethanol-blended petrol is unsafe, unregulated, or harmful to vehicles are not supported by evidence,” he added.

 

The clarification also comes against the backdrop of the ethanol industry grappling with excess production capacity. Distilleries have created a capacity of around 20 billion litres, while oil marketing companies require only about 11-12 billion litres annually to meet the current 20 per cent ethanol blending target, according to multiple reports.

 

As distilleries grapple with surplus capacity, some have already approached courts over lower ethanol offtake by OMCs.

 

What did the government's fact sheet on ethanol blending say?

 

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, in a 10-point clarification, said the E20 ethanol blending programme is supported by scientific studies, international experience and regulatory safeguards.

 

Rebutting claims that ethanol is not a high-performance fuel and reduces vehicle performance, the government said E20 raises the effective octane rating of Indian petrol to around 95, improving combustion in modern engines. It added that vehicles calibrated for E20 can deliver better acceleration, smoother performance and lower emissions.

 

Moreover, the ministry said only surplus rice, which is cleared after meeting national food security requirements, is diverted for ethanol production, and rejected the claims that said making one litre of ethanol consumes 10,000 litres of water.

 

Isma revives push for E100 fuel pumps

 

In a letter to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas last month, Isma demanded the “installation of dedicated E100 dispensing infrastructure” co-located with sugar biorefineries, saying that the move would ramp up flex-fuel mobility and ease the financial stress facing the ethanol industry, reported The Hindu BusinessLine.

 

The association first made this proposal to the government in February 2023, but the government has yet to take a decision.